The ESPN Experts’ Poll was recently released this morning and two familiar faces from the Oregon Ducks made an appearance on the 14 player list. While the De’Anthony Thomas did not receive a top five ranking, star quarterback, Marcus Mariota did. Mariota came in at No. 5 just behind quarterbacks A.J. McCarron (Alabama), Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M), Braxton Miller (Ohio State) and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina). Although a Heisman list in August is always premature, it was mere testament to the type of superstar quality players that the Ducks currently hold entering the 2013-2014 season.
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As Fall Camps across the nation continue to prepare for the upcoming season, ESPN Pac-12 blogger Ted Miller continued his list of “day-by-day snapshots” in reverse alphabetical order with the Oregon Ducks. From key losses to the biggest games in the 2013-2014 season, Miller gives his insight into what every fan needs to know about the Ducks heading into the season with the information that has been given up until this very moment.
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Every New England Patriots fans held their breaths following what could have been a potentially season ending injury to their quarterback Tom Brady. The injury followed a sequence in which Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Adrian Clayborn overpowered Patriots left tackle Nate Solder into Brady’s left knee, which resulted in Brady discontinuing practice for the rest of the day. Brady did however return to the slower-paced joint practice this morning with the Buccaneers wearing a left knee brace and appears to have only suffered a minor knee sprain according to a preliminary diagnosis following the MRI. He plans to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Friday night’s preseason game.